Today we’d like to introduce you to Lajoy Jewel.
Lajoy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My story didn’t start from a place of ease it started from survival.
I’ve lived through a lot of what I now help other people navigate. Loss, instability, having to grow up faster than I should have, and learning how to keep going even when life didn’t feel fair. Losing my mother was one of the deepest wounds I’ve ever experienced and it changed me in ways I’m still unpacking. There were moments where I could have stayed stuck in everything that broke me but I didn’t. I made a decision, over and over again, to keep standing. And that’s not something I say lightly that’s something I’ve lived.
Before any titles, before any businesses, I’ve always been a storyteller. Theatre and writing have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. It was my outlet, my escape, and honestly, my therapy before I even had the language for healing. That passion carried me into acting, where I’ve had the opportunity to be featured on platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Tubi. But even in those moments, it was never just about being on screen it was about telling stories that reflect real life, real emotions, and real people.
I’m also a co author of the book Still Standing alongside Cynthia Bailey and that title alone speaks to my journey. Still standing is not just a phrase for me it’s a testimony.
Out of everything I’ve been through, I created Soul Work Strategies. That wasn’t built from theory it was built from experience. As a certified life coach, I’ve created a space for young women and women to do the real work healing, rebuilding, and learning how to navigate life when it feels overwhelming. It’s not surface level motivation. It’s honest conversations, accountability, and helping women find themselves again when life has tried to take pieces of them.
Then there’s Studio 618 Media which is my creative heart. It’s a full production company built to tell stories that matter through film, interviews, and visual storytelling. Right now, I’m working on my first film, “Rooms,” which is deeply personal. It reflects the internal battles we fight, the versions of ourselves we hide, and what it really looks like to confront your truth. That project isn’t just a film it’s a piece of me.
I’m also pursuing my master’s in New Media Journalism because I don’t just want to exist in one lane I want to own my voice across all of them. Whether it’s on camera, on stage, behind the scenes, or in a one on one conversation, my purpose is the same to tell the truth and to create spaces where people feel seen.
My life hasn’t been easy and I don’t pretend that it has been. But everything I’ve gone through has given me something valuable depth, perspective, and a voice that I refuse to water down.
I’m not just building brands. I’m building legacy out of everything I had to survive.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No, it hasn’t been a smooth road. It’s been a journey shaped by loss, survival, and learning how to rebuild from places most people never see.
I’ve experienced significant loss at pivotal points in my life, the kind that shifts your entire foundation. Grief became something I had to learn to carry while still moving forward, still showing up, still building. At the same time, there were seasons where stability wasn’t guaranteed. I’ve faced homelessness, moments of having nothing to my name, and the uncertainty of not knowing what the next day would look like. Those experiences forced me to develop a level of resilience and resourcefulness that you can’t teach.
I’ve also overcome deeply personal challenges, including situations that tested my safety, my voice, and my sense of self. There were moments in my life where everything felt overwhelming, where continuing forward didn’t feel easy or even clear. But even in those moments, something in me chose to keep going.
While navigating all of this, I was working multiple jobs and putting myself through school, determined to create a different outcome for my life. That balance of survival and ambition wasn’t easy, but it shaped the discipline and drive I carry today.
Building Soul Work Strategies and Studio 618 Media came out of those lived experiences. They weren’t created from theory, they were created from real life. Soul Work Strategies is rooted in the belief that healing is possible, even after life’s hardest moments, and Studio 618 Media is my way of ensuring that real, unfiltered stories have a place to be seen and heard.
Even in my work as an actress, with projects featured on platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Tubi, those opportunities carry a different weight because of the journey behind them.
So no, it hasn’t been smooth. But every challenge added depth, clarity, and purpose to who I am today. And I believe that’s what allows me to create, lead, and tell stories in a way that truly connects
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
At the core of everything I do is storytelling, but not surface level storytelling. I specialize in telling real, layered, human stories across media, coaching, and creative production.
I’m the founder of Soul Work Strategies, where I serve as a certified life coach creating intentional spaces for women and young women to heal, rebuild, and navigate life with clarity. My work goes beyond motivation. I help women do the internal work, addressing trauma, identity, purpose, and life transitions in a way that’s honest and sustainable.
I’m also the founder of Studio 618 Media, a full scale media and production company focused on storytelling through film, interviews, and digital content. Through Studio 618, I produce, direct, and develop projects that center real experiences and underrepresented voices. I’m currently working on my first film, “Rooms,” which explores the internal battles people face and what it really looks like to confront different versions of yourself. That project is one of the things I’m most proud of because it’s deeply personal and creatively intentional.
In addition, I bring over 10 years of experience working alongside politicians, within the penal system, and in leadership connected to Child Protective Services. That background has given me a unique perspective on systems, policy, and people. I’ve had to communicate complex, often sensitive issues while engaging with individuals at every level, from leadership to families navigating difficult circumstances. That experience sharpened my voice, my ability to ask the right questions, and my responsibility in how stories are told.
Alongside that, I’m an actress with work featured on platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Tubi, and a co author of Still Standing alongside Cynthia Bailey. Writing and performance have always been a part of my life, and they continue to shape how I show up creatively.
What I’m most proud of is not just what I’ve built, but what it represents. Everything I’ve created came from lived experience. I built these platforms from real life, real challenges, and real growth. To be able to turn that into something that helps others heal, feel seen, and find direction, that means everything to me.
What sets me apart is my depth and my range. I understand both the systems and the human side of the story. I’ve sat in rooms with leadership and in spaces with people at their most vulnerable. That allows me to connect, communicate, and create in a way that isn’t surface level.
I’m not just building businesses or pursuing media for visibility. I’m building platforms that create impact, shift perspectives, and tell stories that actually matter.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success, for me, has nothing to do with how things look on the outside.
There was a time in my life when just making it through the day was a win. When I was navigating loss, instability, and trying to find my footing, success wasn’t money or titles it was survival. It was choosing to keep going when everything in me felt tired. That perspective never left me.
Now, success is alignment. It’s being able to wake up and know that the life I’m building is honest and intentional. It’s doing work through Soul Work Strategies that actually helps women heal and see themselves differently. It’s creating through Studio 618 Media and knowing the stories I’m telling have depth and meaning. It’s having the freedom to be fully myself in every space I walk into.
Success is also impact. If something I say, create, or build helps someone else keep going, see their worth, or shift their perspective, that matters more to me than any recognition.
And of course, I value growth and financial stability. I want to build legacy, create opportunities, and be in rooms where my voice carries weight. But not at the cost of who I am. I’ve already lived a life where I had to fight to find myself, so success isn’t just about what I gain, it’s about what I refuse to lose in the process.
At the end of the day, success for me is peace, purpose, and impact all existing at the same time.
Pricing:
- Soul Work Strategies (Coaching & Personal Development) * 1:1 Coaching Sessions: starting at $125 per session * 4–6 Week Coaching Programs: $500–$1,200 depending on depth and structure * Group Coaching / Healing Circles: starting at $45 per person * Speaking Engagements (Workshops, Panels, Corporate): starting at $1,000+
- Studio 618 Media (Production & Media Services) * Interview Coverage / Media Features: starting at $150 * Event Coverage (Hosting + Media): starting at $500+ * Content Creation Packages (Video + Branding): $750–$2,500+ * Film Production Projects: custom pricing based on scope
- Additional Notes * Custom packages are available for both brands based on client needs * Pricing may vary depending on project size, location, and deliverables * Payment plans are available for select coaching programs
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lajoyjewel.my.canva.site/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lajoyjewel?igsh=MTl1Njg4cHcwZDlweg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: Choose Joy
